Can I only use a portion of a song? Even if you use a few seconds of a song without permission, you're exposed to a
Music/Audio
Up to 10% or 30 seconds, whichever is shorter.
This is one of the most common misconceptions. Unfortunately, this is not true and there is no bright line rule that says a use is an acceptable use as long as you only use 5, 15, or 30 seconds of a song. Any use of copyrighted material without permission is, according to U.S. copyright law, copyright infringement.
It doesn't matter if it's just a short clip. 10 seconds or 30 seconds. You still can't use it. The only way to legally use music on YouTube is to get permission from the copyright holder (or whoever does actually “own the rights” to the song).
There is no specific number of seconds of copyrighted video that you can use without permission. The use of any copyrighted material without permission from the copyright owner is considered copyright infringement, regardless of the duration of the use.
Or merely a ten-second refrain? Unfortunately, there are no fixed standards as to how much of a song you can use without infringing the song owner's copyright. Of course, the shorter you can make the clip, the stronger your argument for fair use protection.
Giving credit to the owner of a copyrighted work won't by itself turn a non-transformative copy of their material into fair use. Phrases like “all rights go to the author” and “I do not own” don't automatically mean you're making fair use of that material. They also don't mean you have the copyright owner's permission.
Your video's status could change in the future and may even be removed from YouTube. A removal can happen when the copyright owner makes a different decision in your individual case. Changes to the policy that applies to the music in your video can also cause a removal.
To get permission to use a copyrighted song, you'll need to find the artist or owner of the song and contact them directly. You can't contact famous musicians directly, but you can contact their music publishers.
Most of the time, you may still utilize copyrighted music in your videos as long as you do not monetize them and seek the original creator's permission. For more information on creating, uploading, and scheduling videos for YouTube and other social media platforms, try SocialPilot.
YouTube says its short-form creators will be able to use between 30 and 60 seconds of licensed music “for most tracks.” However, some songs will remain on the previous 15-second limit, with licensing agreements determining which tracks fall in which window.
There are no limits on using music in Stories, or traditional musical performances (example: filming a live artist or band performing their own music). The more full-length recorded tracks in your video, the more likely the video may be limited (example: muted or blocked). Shorter clips of music are recommended.
Only use content that you've created yourself
Another way to avoid copyright infringement and strikes is to only use your own content on YouTube. If you only use music and videos that you've created yourself, you won't have to worry about copyright claims as you'll be the copyright owner.
The "15 Second" or "8 Bar" Rule
The reality is that there is no legal protection in copyright law for these types of use. If you use a piece of a composition or sound recording that is copyrighted, you will need a license.
There are so many myths about changing the pitch, tempo, or removing the lyrics from a track. But the bottom line is, if the track you're using is copyrighted and you edit it, you'll have created what is known in copyright law as a derivative work.
The best way to find out if a song is copyrighted is by uploading it to YouTube and letting the Copyright Checker check if there are any copyright issues. Here's how to do it: Log in to your YouTube account and then go to the YouTube Creator Studio. Click CREATE in the top right corner of the page and then Upload ...
Videos uploaded to YouTube are scanned against a database of audio and visual content that's been submitted to YouTube by copyright owners. When Content ID finds a match, it applies a Content ID claim to the matching video.
The song you want to use is copyrighted if you see the copyright symbol next to it when you download the song. (Not to be confused with the Creative Commons licensing symbol).
In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright. Click SEE DETAILS. Under the Content identified in this video section, find the relevant claim and click Actions. Trim out segment, Replace song, or Mute song.
That means they should not upload videos they didn't make, or use content in their videos that someone else owns the copyright to, such as music tracks, snippets of copyrighted programs, or videos made by other users, without necessary authorizations.
How much of someone else's work can I use without getting permission? Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports.
Common copyright myths
Giving credit to the copyright owner doesn't automatically give you the rights to use their copyrighted work. You need to make sure you've secured all the necessary rights to all copyright-protected elements in your video before you upload it to YouTube.